October 9, 2014
THE DRU NETTLES SHOW
The Dru Nettles Show airs tonight, 6pm—7pm, on Cox 4 Television, Baton Rouge. Replays air Fridays at 11am and Saturdays at 1pm. The program is co-hosted by Denham Springs HS Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Dru Nettles and yours truly, Jon Fine.
This week’s scheduled guests on The Dru Nettles Show include DSHS Assistant Football coach Cody Wilson and Jackets Senior Football player Jeremy Lindberg. The Academic Segment will focus on the Anchor Club, represented by Leah Miller. The Sponsor of the week is Madison McCormick with Eastside Recycling. There’ll be highlights of the Jackets victory over Broadmoor HS, plus an extensive interview with Coach Nettles.
For more information on The Dru Nettles Show, please visit The Dru Nettles Show page at JonFineProductions.com.
SPORTSCENTRAL
Join Hosts Sid Edwards and Steve Johnson on SportsCentral, tonight, 5pm—6pm, on WUBR, 910AM (CBS Sports Radio) Baton Rouge… on the net at PelicanSportsTV.com… and the Tune In App: search WUBR… from Coach’s. Tonight’s guests include CHS Defensive Coordinator Ken Hilton and Senior players Cameron Hooper, Jared Leger and Shane Story.
BATON ROUGE AREA BROADCASTING SCHEDULE:
Thursday, October 9: 5pm—6pm: SportsCentral… with Sid Edwards and Steve Johnson
WUBR, 910AM (CBS Sports Radio) Baton Rouge
PelicanSportsTV.com
App: search WUBR… from Coach’s
Thursday, October 9: 6pm—7pm: The Dru Nettles Show… with Dru Nettles and Jon Fine
Cox 4 Television
Baton Rouge… note new replay times: Friday, September 26 at 11am and Saturday, September 27 at 1 pm
Friday, October 10: 6pm: Denham Springs HS at Central HS
Jon Fine, Brian Abels, Nathan Landry
Fox Sports Radio, 1210AM, Baton Rouge… and on the net at JonFineProductions.com
SportsRadio 1310 Radio, Lake Charles Programming of Interest (also heard on KEZMOnLine.com):
Friday, October 10: 6:45pm: Sulphur HS at Carencro HS
Bruce Merchant, Clopha Boudreaux
Saturday, October 11: 9AM—10AM: All Things Football with Scott Holtzman
Monday, October 13: 8AM—10AM: The Locker Room with John Goodman and Jim Gazzolo
WE THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR UTMOST TO PATRONIZE SPONSORS OF OUR PROGRAMMING. THIS HELPS US TREMENDOUSLY IN SUSTAINING OUR WEEKLY LINE-UP AND WILL ASSIST US IN ADDING MORE PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE. KINDLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO LET SPONSORS KNOW YOU HEARD THEIR BUSINESS MENTIONED ON OUR BROADCAST(S).
THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High School
I have been a “die hard” LSU and Saints fan since I was a kid. I took it hard when the Saints or LSU lost (which happened frequently in the 90s), but I have matured since then. I handle losses better than I did then, but while the game is happening I am still “dying hard.”
As a result, I am bewildered by other “die hard” LSU fans that are able to watch the Tigers play football right now. How or why do you put yourself through that? You are not a coach or a player, you have a choice.
These days I choose to enjoy college football. Saturday was an amazing day of football with highly competitive games between evenly matched teams with some strengths and some weaknesses. There just are not any dominant teams this year like in recent years.
Back to LSU, what are you expecting when you watch LSU play? We know LSU has one path to victory that involves physically dominating the opponent. We know this team is not capable of that. As many have pointed out, Coach Miles has won many games at LSU with his philosophy and it is not going to change. At the same time, this team with this schedule will not win anywhere near the percentage of games that Coach Miles has won in the past. The reason for what will be classified as a “down year” does not matter for the sake of this article. The question is once again…
Why are you watching? It can’t be for the entertainment value. Heaven knows LSU is not entertaining to watch unless you are a Tiger fan and LSU is physically dominating their opponent.
The reason to watch right now is to see how long it takes this extremely talented roster to mature. That’s right. I said it. This is an extremely talented roster. Don’t believe me? Watch what the NFL thinks about LSU’s talent over the next 3 years.
Of course, the Tigers are young and inconsistent which leads to “one-time plays,” and offensive three and outs after gaining 9 yards on first down. This year you will see glimpses of greatness followed by stretches of ineptitude that leave you and I am sure the coaches scratching their heads.
The head scratching leads me back to being a “die hard.” With so many head scratching aspects of LSU football, my scalp can only handle so much, so I have a confession. When I have watched LSU this year against the good teams, I have only watched live (which is real time before it was called real time) as long as it takes for me to realize the Tigers are not ready compete. I record the rest. Then I enjoy college football because it really is a fun, fascinating sport to watch. I check in on the Tigers every once in a while, and continue to enjoy my day and the sport. Later, when the results are in, I watch LSU on the DVR and I look closely for the signs of life.
The good news is the signs are there of a bright future. The bad news is it looks like it will take a while for the light to stay lit. How will we know when LSU is ready to compete? Here are a few positive signs to look for that don’t involve a change in philosophy or scheme because that is NOT going to happen.
1. The coaches believe in the offense enough to throw on first down before falling behind by 2 -3 touchdowns.
2. The quarterbacks are comfortable in the shotgun/pistol AND under center (because LSU is not giving up putting the qb under center). This one will take a while.
3. The defense starts making tackles in space.
Until then, enjoy the college football season because it is going to be wild.
HEY REF
By Dennis Dearie
Veteran Louisiana High School Referee
The LHSAA announced Wednesday that they are suspending players from both Madison Prep and Tara high school for fighting. Seems there were a few players that left the bench area on their sidelines then entered the field to join in a fight. Not a very smart thing to do especially under the rules that are as plain as day in which the prescribed punishment is an automatic suspension of all guilty players. No grey area here so you won’t be reading about appeals, etc.
But while many parents are scratching their heads trying to figure out why their children’s behavior has hit rock bottom I’ve always said all they need to do is look in the mirror. Parent’s behavior at games, I should say at EVERY game leaves me to wonder how these people go through life away from the football field. Most teams are starting district play and things will be getting very serious because playoff positioning. After all isn’t the real “reason why we play the games”? Everyone will say the season was a waste of time and deemed unsuccessful if they’re not in the hunt to win the championship?
For those that won’t qualify for the championship tournament it will feel like the end of the world. But it won’t and doesn’t give an excuse to act out and fight on the field. I remember a thing called Sportsmanship, that thing fewer and fewer adults are bringing with them to the football games in and around Baton Rouge. I remember the pure disgust that would stir inside my stomach seeing the actions of parents while umpiring little league baseball. Now I’m seeing way too often at 6th grade, Jr. High and JV football games the very same behavior by grown men and women that should know better.
What is the rational of having anything except varsity games? I’m one of the few that accepts the need for Jr. High and Jr. Varsity games as the place where an athlete will learn his skills before walking onto the varsity field. But after being away from working high school games for over ten years I knew things would be a little different. You know things like players getting bigger and faster or maybe me getting slower. O. K. I didn’t expect to find myself that much slower but… … …
I’ve noticed a huge change among those sitting in the stands watching all levels of games. It seems to me that many of those fans don’t have lives. Each game is beginning to feel like going to an execution. In that I mean those on the losing side wouldn’t have anything to live for once the game was “in the books” so to speak. Sub varsity games are supposed to be where an athlete would begin to learn the game from the inside.
But what seems to be happening is the parents believe this 9th grade game tonight is all that’s left in this world. Parents, when officials try to help these young athletes how to line up and stay set before the snap it isn’t meant to help the other team beat your team. We strive to help youngsters when we can so that we don’t spend the majority of the game walking five yards this way then five yards the other.
And YES we can call holding on every play, hands down. But how many parents want the officials to do this? The only ones that do are the parents of the team with the ball. I wonder how many parents are living their lives through their child’s life. Well, all I can think it’s more than 90% just by their behavior during the games. Of course “little Johnny” never holds he always plays by the rules. It has to be the OTHER guys that are holding.
At a recent LHSAA football camp a coach gave a talk where he boldly confessed to teaching his team to hold. He was serious because he knows the refs won’t call “it” all night. He went on for a few minutes and got a pretty good amount of laughs but then he got serious and said “but I don’t want you to call holding EVER while on I’m on offense”! As officials we didn’t know whether to laugh or take him serious. Believe me he was serious and became agitated while trying to explain that his team should be allowed to hold but not be called for it. Not many coaches are like him but I feel the attitude among parents goes deeper.
If you’ve never heard the term “PREVENTATIVE” officiating let me educate you. A simple example is when one player’s head is in the neutral zone we as officials will tell the player between plays to back up or get back depending on what side of the ball they’re on. One coach will thank you for not calling the foul on his team but as soon as the other team has the ball he goes ballistic if you tell the other team to back up a bit.
If I had my way each and every parent would spend an entire year working football games for nothing. This way they might actually learn the rules. There are so many experts sitting in the stands that I feel you are hurting the game by staying home or sitting in the stands trying to tell everyone the rules and how the officials on the field really don’t know what they are doing.
So, please do the game a great service, get off your asses and try to call a few games and we’ll see just how much you really don’t know! I’m not about to let the officials off the hook by no means. I spent nearly 20 years calling football in this area before a bad injury caused me to “retire”. Well, I’ve tried to return to the field but what I’ve found is scaring me to the core.
The quality of the officials calling games has drastically declined. So many of the best that have put on the striped shirt have left the game entirely. And I feel it’s due to the lack of respect given them by parents, coaches and the media. For whatever reason the games are suffering because so many good officials have hung up their whistles and aren’t returning year after year.
So, I’ll close by asking all the great officials instead of sitting in the stands please put on the uniform and help the sport you know so much about by getting involved and start at your earliest convenience and start calling real games and not those video games on your TV!!!
Till next week… …
The Rotary Club of Livingston Parish
Rotary Bull
By Ivy Graham
“Service Above Self”
Please visit our website at www.rotaryclublp.org.
This week’s meeting:
• This week’s meeting will be held at Big Mike’s. Fellowship begins at 11:30. The meeting is from 12:00-1:00. This week’s guest speaker is Jeremy Powell with BJ Pawn. Jeremy is going to teach us how to get rid of those unwanted items around the house like kids, spouses, pets
JUST KIDDING
But he will be telling us all about the ends and outs of the pawn world. So if you watch a lot of Pawn Stars, this is the perfect opportunity to come stump the speaker
Last week’s meeting:
• Last week our Membership committee brought us some education! We learned about the importance of vocational service and how we are already doing it without realizing it. Keep giving back Rotarians; it’s important!
• Our club has a brag jar. Better bring your dollars folks!
• Animal Shelter project creeps forward.
Proposed Members (any names in this section have asked to be a member of our club. If any member has an opinion regarding accepting or denying the application of the names below please notify leadership.)
Upcoming Events/Projects:
• November 22 – Central Rotary’s Bed Race and Comedy Night (Get your tickets NOW!)
• November 28 – No Meeting HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
• Nothing
We better get planning!
Note from the President:
• October is Vocational Service month. How do you use your profession to give back the community, serve Rotary, and make the world a better place?
Guest Speakers and General Membership Meeting Dates:
• Oct 14 – Who am I? – McHugh David (a.k.a. Lightening McQueen)
• Oct 24 – Guest Speaker - Kim with the Denham Springs Antique District
• Oct 31 – Guest Speaker - Lenell Melancon, anti-bulling month
• Nov 7 – Membership presents education
• Nov 14 - Guest Speaker - District Governor, Ms. Proctor
• Nov 21 – Nominations for new officers
• TBA - Patrick Beauchamp, Farm Bureau
Brags:
• WOW donated $2000.00 to our Club … with like a lot of rules or something. We are happy and I am confused.
• Jon Fine supports Abigail’s choice to have a baby. Go Abigail!
• Keith Stark’s son officially closed on his new house! Couldn’t do it without you Kay Landry!!!
Members:
• Your quarterly dues have been distributed. Please kindly and timely submit your payment to Lisa Casas.
• Shirts for sale only $7.00 for members. These things are selling like hotcakes!
JON IS PROUD TO WORK AS A MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE FOR SPORTSRADIO-1310-KEZM-LAKE CHARLES, IN ESTABLISHING THE “DOLLAR A HOLLER” MARKETING PROGRAM AND HELPING SELL BARBE HS BASEBALL AND SOUTH LAKE CHARLES PLAYOFF BROADCASTS
AND AS A MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE/ CONSULTANT FOR SPORTSCENTRAL ON WUBR,910AM (CBS SPORTS RADIO), BATON ROUGE.